John h



(No Model.)

J- 1I.` WEITMYER.

HYDBANT.

Patented Aug. 12, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. WEITilh/IYER, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JACOB GREENAWALT, OF SAME PLACE.

HYDRANT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.434,218, dated August 1.2, 1890.

Appiinon nea April z8, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. WEITMYER, of Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydrants; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to thefigures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in hydrants employed in the dispensation of water from distributing-mains in which the water is kept under pressure, and has for its object to provide an exceedingly cheap and strong hydrant, all the working and wearing parts of which may be readily taken out forrepairs or renewal without the necessity of digging up the whole casing and uncoupling the service-pipe.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section through a hydrant constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the lower portion of a modiied form of valve, dto. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modified form of valverod.

Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

In the class of hydrants to which this invention relates, it is found necessary to make provision for clearing the eduction-pipe of water after the hydrant has been in use, in order to prevent the same from freezing, and to do this the water-supply has to be cut o beneath the surface of the earth and, preferably, below the'frost-line, at which point a drain or drip-opening is provided for draining off the water from said pipe. This construction of course makes it necessary to place the valves and other working and wearing parts below the ground, and should the same get outof order, in a large proportion of the hydrants nowvin use the whole casing has to be dug up to get at the injured or defective part.

In a hydrant constructed in accordance with my present invention these difficulties are overcome by connect-in g the service-pipe A with the base B, which constitutes what Serial No. 349,764. (No model.)

may, for convenience, be termed a receivingchamber, having a seat or bearing b in the upper part thereof and connected rigidly by screw-threads or otherwise with the tubular casing O, which extends up above the surface of the ground, and inserting the eduction-pipe D within the casing and causing it or a chamber thereon to seat on the bearing b, the eduction-pipe being held to its seat by accessible devices at the top of the casing, the valve and its operating-rod being inserted with the eduction-pipe and adapted to seat and close the entrance to the eduction-pipe.

The eduction-pipe D shown in the drawings consists of ordinary tubing, preferably divided at the center and screwed into a T- tting, the branch of which serves for the attachment of the spout H, and at the bottom is adapted to seat on the rounded upper end of a fitting M, which has an annular bearing f in the receiving-chamber. Then, when the eduction-pipe is forced down, the water passing into the chamber iiows up through the central opening in the fitting and into the eduction-'pipe at the bottom. The fitting is provided with a downwardly-extending annular valve-seat n and an outer casing or cage N extending some distance below the valve-` seat and closed by a plug or other suitable means to prevent the entrance of water at the bottom, but provided with entrance-openings n at the point near the top.

The valve O, which in effect performs the double function of valve and piston to prevent water-pound, works in the cage N below the openings n and is connected to the tubular valve-stem orlower terminal 0 of the valverod, which works through the fitting and is provided with perforations o at top and bottom, those at the bottom being adapted to slide up in the'tting and be closed thereby.

The valve-rod E irl-.this instance is formed by a continuation of the hollow valve-stem, a plug being inserted above the upper perforations to prevent the upward passage of water, which rod passes straight up the eduction-pipe through a plug c2, having a packingbox therein, if desired, and through the cap G. Cap G is screwed on the top of the casing and bears on the upper end of the eduction- IOO pipe to force the same down and make the necessary water-tight joints at the bottom. A drip-opening b is provided in the casing and a corresponding opening fm2 in the fitting M, which when the valve is depressed is closed by the collar or iange o2 on the valvestem, but is open when the valve is raised or closed.

In operation, the water entering the receiving-chamber passes into the cage N above the piston or valve therein; but said valve is iitted loose enough to allow the water to leak past and till the space below the piston, and it will be seen at a glance that when the valve is depressed there will be a direct flow of water through the apertures 0 up the eduction-pipe and out through the spout; but when the valve is released the pressure of the water which gradually-leaks past the piston or valve into the space below the same will elevate and close the valve slowly, the leakage being insufcient to permit or cause a quick movement and consequent water -pound as the valve closes.

It is notessential that the specific form of valve and connections just described be ern` ployed, as other well-known mechanism may be substituted, or the construction shown in Fig. 2 may be employed, wherein it will be seen that the eduetion-pipe carries at the bottom a chamber D ot frusto-conical shape, closed by a diaphragm CZ screwed into the lower end and provided with a seat for co-operating with the seat l) in the receiving-chamber.

The valve-rod E passes down through the eduction-pipe and is connected to a valvestem c working through the diaphragm, by a coupling E jointed to the rod and stern, respectively, by bolts e. On the lower portion of the valve-stem is a support or spider e2, which carries the washer or block e3, constituting the valve proper, which iits over and closes openings d in the diaphragm d, said valve being held up to its place bythe pressure of the water, or by a spring d2 interposed between the same and the bottom of the receiving-chamber. Any leakage into the casing at once runs off through the drip-opening b provided therefor, and the eductionpipe is emptied through the same opening by means of an opening d2 in the diaphragm d leading from a point near the valve-stem in the opening b.

WVhen the valve-rod is pushed down, it will be seen that the valve e2 is unseat-ed and the water at once rushes up t ough the apertures d and outot the spout ,the escape of any of the saine through orifice d2 being prevented by the lower end of the coupling E', which comes down over the mouth of said orifice and closes it whenever the valveis depressed, but opens it whenever the valve is closed and allows all the water in the eduction-pipe to run out. In either instance any of the ordinary means may be employed to depress the valve-rod and valve; but I have devised and prefer to employ a mechanism whereby the same maybe depressed either by direct pressure downward or by turning the same horizontally, such mechanism being as nfollows: The cap G, which may be of any desired or.-

namental design, is provided with a central aperture having a screw-thread of considerable pitch, and fitting within this apertureis an annular nut or block g, having screwthreads co-operating with those in the cap, thus making the block adjustable vertically, and as the valve-rod passes through the same and is provided with a collar II on which the block comes teva bearing, it will be seen at a glance that when the block is turned in thc proper direction the valve-rod will be depressed and the valves opened. The valverod passes on through the block and is provided with suitable means for depressing it by a direct pressure, as a knob or handle P, which has a iiange or overhanging lip p, which protects the bearings at the top of the casing and excludes snow, dust, the. The valve-rod is further provided with means whereby when it is turned it will also turn the plug g as a groove or pin connection g', as shown in Fig. 1, or the upper end of the valverod may be squared, as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be noted that when the valve is opened by turning the block it will remain open until closed by hand, but when opened by a direct pressure on the lever itcloscs automatically.

By removing the cap and spout it will be seen that the eduction-pipe may be easily taken out and the whole of the working parts removed, including both faces of the valve, and in fact all wearing parts, and when replaced a water-tight joint may be easily made between the bottom of the educt-ion-pipe and receiving-box by screwing down the cap until the desired end is accomplished, there being little or no danger of the joint leaking, as the contacting faces are not moved with relation to each other after the parts are adjusted.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a hydrant, the combination, with the eduction-pipe having the fitting at the lower end with the annular downwardly-projecting valve-scat, and the surrounding cage having the bottom closed and the entrance-ports at the top above the level ofthe valve-seat, of the piston-valve working in said cage below the valve-seat, substantially as described.

2. In a hydrant, the combination, with the eduetion-pipe having the fitting at the lower end with the valve-seat and the surrounding cage having the bottom closed and the entrance-ports at the top, of the perforated tubula'r valve-stem working through the fitting and the piston-valve on said stem, working in the cage below the entrance-ports, substantially as described.

3. In a hydrant, the combination, with the eduction-pipe having the fitting at the lower IIO end with the valve-seat, and surrounding cage having the bottom closed and entranceports at the top, and the drip-opening in the top of the iitting, of the perforated tubular valve-stem working through the fitting, the piston-valve on said stem, working in the cage below the entrance-ports, and the ring or collar above the fitting for closing the drip-opening, substantially as described.

et. In a hydrant, the combination, with the casing having` the incline or screw-thread on the top, of the valve adaptedto be opened by a vertical movement, the valve-rod engaging the valve and mounted in bearings to move vertically Without rotating, and a member connected to the rod and engaging the incline or screw-thread on the top, whereby the valve may be opened by a direct vertical pressure on the rod or by rotating the same, substantially as described.

5. In a hydrant, the combination, With the casing and valve adapted to be opened by a vertical movement, of the vertically-movable valve-rod, a block mounted on and adapted to rotate with the rod, but to permit the same to move longitudinally Without rotating, a screw-thread or incline on the casing with which said block engages to depress the rod when rotated, and a handle on the rod, substantially as described.

6. In a hydrant such as described, the combination, with the casing and valve-rod, of the cap having the screw-threaded aperture 8. In a hydrant, the combination, with the casing, receiving chamber, eduction pipe seating over the receiving-chamber, the spout connected to the eduction-pipe, and the screwtop resting on said pipe to hold the same in place, of the packing located in said pipe below the top thereof, the valve-rod working through said packing, the screw-plug surrounding the valve-rod and bearing on a collar on the same below-the top and above the packing, and connections between said plug and rod to cause them to rotate in unison, 6o

substantially as described..

JOHN H. WEITMYER.

Witnesses:

ALEX. S. STEWART, A.. KELLY. 

